July is here, which means a long list of bills are now law.
After months of lawmaking that included the regularly scheduled session and then a later special session to hash out the state budget, hundreds of bills made it through the gauntlet of the legislative process. Below is a quick recap of the state’s new laws with the highest impact.
Major tax package
Mississippi’s largest-ever tax policy shift was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves at the end of March, setting in motion a phase-out of the state’s income tax. The culmination of a years’ long effort by Reeves and Republican lawmakers to slash the income tax was a contentious one. Leaders in the Senate and the House traded verbal barbs amid fundamental differences, eventually landing on an agreed measure.
House Bill 1 cuts state taxes by more than $1 billion, reduces the personal income tax from 4% to 3% by 2030 with plans for full elimination by 2037, drops the sales tax on groceries from 7% to 5% immediately, and adds a fifth benefits tier to the state’s public employees’ retirement system.
Additionally, a 9-cent increase to the excise tax on gas is to be phased in over a three-year span. 74% of annual revenue accrued will go to go to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, 23.25% to the State Aid Road Construction Fund, and 2.75% to the Strategic Multi-Modal Investments Fund for infrastructure upgrades.
Seafood labeling
Consumers in Mississippi should have no question as to where the seafood on their plates come from under a new law that requires wholesalers, processors, retailers, and food service establishments to properly label where their seafood and crawfish was caught.
All seafood and crawfish sold in the state must now be labeled as “imported” or “domestic.” The move by lawmakers was made after a Gulf Coast restaurant and distributor were caught purposely mislabeling foreign seafood as locally caught.
Panhandling and squatting restrictions
The homeless population in Mississippi were the focus of several pieces of legislation in 2025.
The “Safe Solicitation Act,” creates a permit system for public panhandlers in Mississippi. The law details new limitations on how panhandling can be conducted, along with equipping law enforcement with varying penalties for violators. Municipalities will now have the chance to enforce the measure or not, with permits not to exceed $25.
Those attempting to unlawfully dwell in buildings or land also had their rights limited. Reeves signed a separate bill into law, a measure that formally recognizes that squatters are not legal tenants and eases the eviction process.
Synthetic kratom ban and vape retail restrictions
Those on both sides of a controversial topic seemed to be satisfied after a compromise was met to limit the sale of certain kratom products. Synthetic versions of the herbal supplement, many of which can be toxic or even deadly, are now banned from Mississippi shelves. The measure also limits the sale of kratom to those 21 and older.
Another substance-related measure bans virtually all flavored vaping products. An effort to tighten regulation surrounding nicotine-related products also includes disallowing all manufacturers from the Mississippi market aside from the three FDA-approved manufacturers.
Paid leave for state employees
A new law allows state employees to stay home with newborns or newly adopted children without suffering financial detriment. The “Mississippi State Employees Paid Parental Leave Act” allows a six-week paid leave period for state employees who have worked for a state agency for at least one calendar year.
The paid leave at state agencies will not begin until Jan. 1, 2026. It will also provide paid medical leave for employees. Mississippi joins 36 other states with similar measures in place.
DEI ban in public schools
A new law outlawing the practice of using diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to hire new employees and teach courses goes into effect at all public education institutions in Mississippi. Though the ACLU has sued the state over the “anti-DEI” law, no action has been taken to bar the legislation from going into effect.
The implementation of this law comes as the governing body overseeing public K-12 institutions, along with multiple universities, has begun to alter policies relating to DEI out of fear of potentially putting state funding in peril.
Child grooming penalties
A new law creating a felony crime for child grooming intends to protect young, vulnerable Mississippians from predators. A person 21 and older who knowingly communicates with a minor 16 or under with the intent of coercing the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct now could face between two and 10 years in prison, along with a possible fine of up to $10,000.
The legislation, promoted by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, also includes harsh penalties for teachers, counselors, physicians, and family members who coerce a young person for sexual purposes.
Direct wine shipment
A new law people are toasting to makes Mississippi the latest state to allow direct wine shipment. Up to 12 cases of wine can be shipped to residents per year with someone 21 or older having to show identification when signing for the order.
Direct wine shipments will be taxed at 15.5%, with 3% going toward mental health services and the remaining being stowed away in the state’s general fund. Non-wine beverages, such as liquor and beer, were not included in the measure.
